Published by
Gold Expert
A gram bar is a bullion bar whose weight is stated in grams rather than troy ounces, made in steps such as 1 g, 2.5 g, 5 g, 10 g, 20 g, 50 g and 100 g. Because a troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams, a 50 g bar holds a little over 1.6 troy ounces and a 1 g bar about three hundredths of one. Within a brand, the smaller the bar, the more you generally pay per gram of metal, because the cost of making and packaging it is spread over less gold or silver.
This guide covers the conversions, why price per gram falls as size rises, what is stamped on a gram bar, how silver gram bars and Valcambi's breakable CombiBar differ, and what Virginia law asks when you sell one back. One note up front: on 11 October 2026 The Bullion Bank's website listed gram bars in gold only; we found no silver gram bar or CombiBar listed.
Grams and troy ounces: the conversion
Precious metals are weighed in troy ounces or in grams, and one troy ounce equals 31.1034768 grams. That figure comes from the National Institute of Standards and Technology's conversion factors for precious metal sales, which also gives one gram as 0.03215075 troy ounce. A troy ounce is heavier than the ordinary avoirdupois ounce used for groceries.
The table converts the common gram sizes. Figures are rounded to four decimal places.
| Bar size | Troy ounces | Gold gram bars listed on our site, 11 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 g | 0.0322 | PAMP Fortuna; a generic 1 g bar |
| 2.5 g | 0.0804 | PAMP Fortuna; Valcambi minted |
| 5 g | 0.1608 | PAMP Fortuna; Valcambi minted |
| 10 g | 0.3215 | PAMP Fortuna |
| 20 g | 0.6430 | PAMP Fortuna; Valcambi minted |
| 50 g | 1.6075 | PAMP Fortuna; Valcambi minted |
| 100 g | 3.2151 | PAMP Fortuna |
Stock changes, so read the right-hand column as a dated snapshot rather than a standing inventory.
Why a 1 g bar costs more per gram than a 50 g bar
Small bars carry a higher premium per gram because minting, assay packaging and handling cost roughly the same per piece whatever the bar weighs. A premium is the amount paid above the value of the metal content; on a 1 g bar those fixed costs are divided by one gram, on a 50 g bar by fifty.
Our own PAMP Fortuna gold product pages show the pattern. The index below takes the cash price per gram of each bar on 11 October 2026 and sets the 100 g bar at 100, so it shows how much more each size cost per gram without printing a price that will be stale tomorrow.
| PAMP Fortuna gold bar | Price per gram, indexed (100 g bar = 100) |
|---|---|
| 1 g | 130.4 |
| 2.5 g | 117.9 |
| 5 g | 115.0 |
| 10 g | 110.1 |
| 20 g | 102.4 |
| 50 g | 100.5 |
| 100 g | 100.0 |
On that day, a gram of gold in a 1 g bar cost about 30% more than a gram in the 100 g bar, and the step from 20 g to 50 g changed the per-gram price by only about two points. At 5 g, Valcambi's minted bar indexed at 108.2 against PAMP's 115.0. Prices move with the market every day, so the shape is the useful part, not the figures.
Two more things affect what you pay. Each product page lists one price for cash, cashier's check, check, PIN debit, wire and Zelle, and a higher price for credit card and PayPal, about 3% higher on the pages checked. And the pages show The Bullion Bank's buy price for the same bar, which tells you the spread, the gap between what a dealer sells at and buys at. On 11 October 2026 the branded 1 g PAMP bar and the generic 1 g bar carried different sell prices but the same buy price, a reminder that the brand premium paid on the way in is not always returned on the way out. Our guide to spot prices, premiums and dealer spreads explains how those three numbers relate.
What is stamped on a gold gram bar
A minted gram bar carries its weight, its fineness, the refiner's name and usually a serial number, and it is normally sold sealed in an assay card. Fineness is the share of pure metal, written in parts per thousand; 999.9 means 99.99% gold. Every gold gram bar on our site on 11 October 2026 was specified at .9999 fine.
PAMP says its Lady Fortuna design was introduced in 1979, and describes its CertiPAMP assay card as carrying an individual serial number, a QR code and the signature of an independent Swiss Federal Assayer. Whether the PAMP name is worth its premium at larger sizes is covered in our article on PAMP Suisse gold bars.
A minted bar is struck from a blank, like a coin, which gives it sharp edges and a smooth face; a cast bar is poured into a mold and usually looks rougher. The PAMP Fortuna and Valcambi gram bars on our site on 11 October 2026 were all minted bars.
The assay card is part of what a later buyer looks at, but it is not proof on its own. A dealer will still test the metal, which is why our article on XRF gold testing is worth reading before you sell a small bar.
Silver gram bars: same shape, different economics
Silver gram bars exist, but the fixed costs that raise a gold gram bar's premium bite much harder on silver. A gram of silver is worth a small fraction of what a gram of gold is worth, while the cost of striking and packaging a 1 g bar is similar for either metal.
The result is that on a 1 g or 5 g silver bar, fabrication can make up a large share of the price, far more than on a gold bar of the same weight. That is the main reason ounce-sized silver bars and coins carry lower premiums per unit of metal than gram-sized ones.
Fineness also differs. Valcambi's specifications list its silver CombiBar at 999.0 fine, against 999.9 for its gold. On 11 October 2026 the silver bars on our website ran in ounce sizes, and we found no 1 g, 5 g or 10 g silver bar listed.
Valcambi CombiBar: a bar that breaks into 1 g pieces
A CombiBar is a thin bar scored into small segments that can be snapped apart by hand. Valcambi, the Swiss refiner that makes it, describes the CombiBar as a multi-functional investment bar and says the first gold CombiBar was issued in April 2011, followed by silver in October 2011 and platinum and palladium in September 2012.
| Valcambi CombiBar | Fineness | Size (mm) | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold, 50 × 1 g | 999.9 | 74.00 × 52.50 × 0.85 | Serial-numbered |
| Gold, 100 × 1 g | 999.9 | 74.00 × 105.00 × 0.85 | Serial-numbered |
| Gold, 20 × 1 g | 999.9 | 37.00 × 42.00 × 0.85 | Serial-numbered |
| Silver, 100 × 1 g | 999.0 | 74.00 × 105.00 × 1.40 | Certificate, no numbering |
| Platinum, 50 × 1 g | 999.5 | 74.00 × 52.50 × 0.80 | Serial-numbered |
| Palladium, 50 × 1 g | 999.5 | 74.00 × 52.50 × 1.30 | Serial-numbered |
The silver row is from Valcambi's 100 × 1 g silver CombiBar page; the gold, platinum and palladium rows are from the corresponding pages in Valcambi's CombiBar range. Valcambi also makes gold versions in 1/10 oz segments and silver versions in 10 g, 1 oz and 1/4 oz segments.
The trade-off is in the breaking. A whole CombiBar in its sealed blister travels with its certificate; a single snapped segment does not, and a gold segment, at under a millimeter thick, is small and easy to lose. A buyer will test a loose segment rather than rely on paperwork, so treat breaking the bar as a one-way decision.
Selling a gram bar back in Virginia
On a plain reading of the statute, selling a bar in Virginia brings the state's precious metals dealer rules into play, while selling a government-issued coin does not. Va. Code § 54.1-4100 defines "precious metals" as "any item except coins composed in whole or in part of gold, silver, platinum, or platinum alloys", and defines a coin as metal stamped by authority of a government with a fixed value as money. A PAMP or Valcambi bar is not stamped by a government, so on a plain reading it sits inside the definition.
That is why Virginia's identification rules reach a gram bar but, on the statute's wording, not a government-issued coin. Our guide to what Virginia law requires when you sell gold covers the identification, records and holding period in full.
On the buying side, Virginia's sales-tax treatment of bullion runs on a renewable exemption, and our article on the Virginia bullion sales-tax exemption tracks what it covers and the date it currently runs to.
Gram bars at The Bullion Bank
The Bullion Bank lists gold gram bars from PAMP and Valcambi on its gold bars page, from 1 g to 100 g, each with prices by payment method and the shop's buy price on the product page. On the check date it did not list gram silver bars or CombiBars; if you are looking for one, the site's homepage invites customers who can't find what they want to call or leave a message.
When you sell, metal content and purity are assessed by X-ray fluorescence in front of you, with a same-day offer against live market pricing and payment on acceptance. The shop's cash for gold page says the XRF identifies 26 different metals and that no appointment is necessary.
This article is educational and reflects general information about precious metals and collectible coins. It is not investment, tax or legal advice, and The Bullion Bank is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer or tax professional. Metal prices fluctuate and past performance does not indicate future results. Consult a qualified professional about your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in a troy ounce?
One troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams, according to NIST's conversion factors for precious metal sales. That makes a 50 g bar about 1.6075 troy ounces and a 100 g bar about 3.2151. The troy ounce is heavier than the everyday ounce of about 28.35 grams, so the two should never be mixed when comparing prices.
Why does a 1 gram gold bar cost more per gram?
Minting, assay packaging and handling cost roughly the same per bar regardless of weight, so a 1 g bar carries those costs on one gram of gold. On The Bullion Bank's PAMP Fortuna pages on 11 October 2026, a gram in the 1 g bar cost about 30% more than a gram in the 100 g bar. Prices change daily.
Can you break a Valcambi CombiBar and sell one piece?
Yes, physically: Valcambi designs the CombiBar to be broken into segments by hand. Once snapped off, a segment is separated from the bar's certificate and blister, so a buyer will test it rather than rely on paperwork, and what it pays depends on that test and on the buyer. Ask before you break a bar you may want to sell whole.
Does The Bullion Bank sell 5 gram silver bars?
Not on its website on 11 October 2026, where the silver bar range was listed in ounce sizes only. It did list gold gram bars from 1 g to 100 g, from PAMP and Valcambi. Stock changes, so check the gold bars and silver bars pages or call either store to ask about a specific size.
Do I need ID to sell a gold bar in Virginia?
Usually yes. Virginia's precious metals dealer chapter excludes government-issued coins, but a bar from a private refiner is not a coin under § 54.1-4100, so on a plain reading it falls under the chapter's identification and record-keeping rules. Bring an unexpired government photo ID showing your current address and a second form of identification; our Virginia law guide lists what counts.
Buying or selling gram bars in Northern Virginia
If you want to compare gram sizes in person, or sell a small bar, either store can help. No appointment is necessary, and testing is done at the counter with the result explained before you decide.
Chantilly
The Bullion Bank
4086 Airline Pkwy
Chantilly, VA 20151
(703) 705-5151
Mon–Fri 11:00–18:00 · Sat 11:00–17:00 · Sun closed
Vienna
The Bullion Bank
131 Maple Ave W
Vienna, VA 22180
(703) 705-5252
Mon–Fri 11:00–18:00 · Sat 11:00–17:00 · Sun closed
